The Richard P. Baepler distinguished Professor in the Humanities is a rotating four-year rotating appointment honoring outstanding teachers in the humanities fields within the university.

It aims to advance interdisciplinary and integrative study of the humanities, particularly in general education, in accord with Valparaiso University’s mission statement and its strategic emphasis on compelling interdisciplinary education. Further, the position aims to enhance the Baepler Professor’s teaching, scholarship, and campus intellectual leadership regarding significant topics in the humanities. Finally, the professorship is also intended to support professional development and thoughtful academic discussion among other Valparaiso faculty in an area of the Baepler Professor’s interest and expertise, with the goal of promoting interdisciplinary teaching, course development, and scholarship in the University through participation in the Wente Faculty Seminar.

The Baepler Professor must be a tenured faculty member in a humanities discipline within the College of Arts and Sciences or Christ College with at least Associate Professor rank. (Humanities disciplines here include those who do substantial work in the history, theory, and criticism of the fine arts and historical or philosophical approaches to the social sciences.)